Henry Milton Taylor

Sir Henry Milton Taylor JP (4 November 1903 – 14 February 1994[1]) was the fourth governor-general of the Bahamas, serving from February 28, 1991 to January 2, 1992.

The Most Honourable Sir
Henry Milton Taylor
JP
4th Governor-General of the Bahamas
In office
February 28, 1991 – January 2, 1992
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterLynden Pindling
Preceded byGerald Cash
Succeeded byClifford Darling
Personal details
Born(1903-11-04)4 November 1903
Long Island, Bahamas
Died14 February 1994(1994-02-14) (aged 90)
Nassau, Bahamas

Biography

Sir Henry, the adopted son of Joseph J. Taylor and Evelyn Taylor, was born on 4 November 1903, at Clarence Town, Long Island. He attended the government school on Long Island and took correspondence courses from London. He taught at public school in Roses, Long Island, from 1924 to 1924; in Pompey Bay, Acklins, from 1925 to 1926; and in Clarence Town, Long Island, from 1933 to 1934.

Career

Taylor became a Member of Parliament in the Parliament of the Bahamas in 1949 when he successfully contested the election for the Long Island and Ragged Island seat.[2]

In November 1953, he co-founded and organized the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the country’s first organised political party.[1][3]

In 1956, Taylor led the first citizen's delegation to London from the Bahamas, accompanied by Lynden Pindling and Milo Butler, to discuss political conditions in the then colony.[2] In 1960, he led another delegation to London to champion the right of women to vote in Bahamian elections. He was accompanied by Dr. Doris Johnson and Eugenia Lockhart. Shortly after their return, the right to vote was extended to woman and exercised for the first time in the 1962 general election.

Between 1968 and 1978, Sir Henry resided in Florida where he began work on his memoirs. At the PLP's silver jubilee convention in November 1978, he was honoured for co-founding the party. He was appointed by the Bahamas government to the post of editor of the Hansard in February 1979.

Taylor served as Deputy to the Governor-General on several occasions between 1981 and 1988 when the Governor-General, Sir Gerald Cash, was out of the country.

On 25 June 1988, Taylor was appointed Acting Governor-General following Cash’s retirement and sworn in on 26 June.

On 28 February 1991, Taylor was sworn in as Governor-General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, becoming the third Bahamian to hold this post. He held the post until his retirement on 1 January 1992.[1][4]

Awards and recognition

At the PLP's silver jubilee convention in November 1978, Taylor was honoured for co-founding the party.

Taylor was knighted by the Queen on 23 July 1980, which conferred on him the title of "Sir".[5]

Death and legacy

Sir Henry died on 14 February 1994 at the age of 90.[1]

References
  1. Country Report: Jamaica, Belize, Bahamas, Bermuda, Barbados, Cayman Islands. Great Britain: Economist Intelligence Unit. 1994.
  2. "Blog post: PLP Party Magazine 1956". Bahamianology.com. 11 December 2019.
  3. "Inaccuracies and misinformation that distort history", letter to the Editor from Errington W. I. Watkins, The Nassau Guardian, 14 December 2011.
  4. "Past Governor Generals", BahamiansOnline.
  5. "Orders of Knighthood". The London Gazette. St James's Palace. 15 September 1980. p. 12987. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
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